Process for treating flax and hemp straw, &amp;c.



UNITEE srArEs .PATENT oEErtrr;l y

CHARLES CCLAHAN, or CHICAGO, ILLINois PROCESS Fon TRETING FLAx AN'D HEMPSTRAW, ac.4

Specification of Letters Patenti' Patented Aug.14. isos.

Application filed November 17. 1905. SerialNo. 287.901.

flax and heinpor similar-.fiber plants to obtain i the fiber therefrom for commercial purposes.

The application of my. invention is conducive to economical results and the production of a superior quality of fiber in a much shorter timethan .is usually required. b'y other ways and at less expense, and vthe treatment can be yregulated and controlled to different kindsl or conditions-of flax or hemp straw,

which in many instances vary, as it may notbe thoroughly and properly cured or seasoned in harvesting or injured by the exposure incident to field or water retting.

The invention consists in the treatment of the straw in a .continuous manner, which treatment will decompose and make soluble .to a certain extent the gummy substances binding the fibers together and facilitate the ready removalof the woody core by mechanical me'ans.

In my process the straw, which isbound in bundles', is first subjected to the action of a solvent, preferably such as shown and described in Patent No. 806,954, dated December 12, 1905, through which it is moved by revolvirg rake-arms that force it into an adjoining tank containing rinsing-water. Revolving rake-armsv again move the bundles continuously from the rinsing-tank into a Crapidly-rotated perforated draining-recep# tacle, the centrifugal force of Which causes the surplus moisture to be expelled from the bundles, Which are maintained in a parallel posit-ion Without in any Way loosening or reaking the straor fiber, Which has -become softened inl the foregoing treatment, and is then delivered onto the receiving-'table of the dryingdevicqwhich is provided With continuously-traveling belts passing and conveying the bundles first into and. through a heated air-chamber, thencev through a moderately temperate air-chamber into a coldair chamber. Thesechambers are separated by suitable partitions -to maintain the desired temperature of each, which is importantin y cleaning process.

the treatment of the fiber in order to preserve its natural strength and 'luster and secure its full length while under the action of -the brake and scutcher; but with-long tine fiber straw I nd it `desirable to subject the same to-a furthertreatinent to secure its roper condition for braking and scutching means of continuous-moving belts through a steam-.bath or vapor-chatnber. thence continuously'through acold-air drying-chan'iber to soften and anneal the same and to absorb the surplus moisture, when it is ready for the brake. This will render the ber supple, pliant, and strong for the final braking and many yearsy and the practical operation of this treatment that more saitsfacto'ry results are obtained in the production of a larger percentage of Vfiber of full length, with com-` paratively no tow or waste inthe subsequent treat-ment of scutching', hackling, and spin. ning, While its 'tensile strength is much i1n' proved andv superiorto that made' by any other known process.

The entire operation israpid, -a-nd large quantities of straw can be thoroughly acteduponV in' a much 'shorter time and without manual labor, While all of the fiber is preserved in its 'best natural state,` and there is no liability of any loss, ,and vwhen scutched it will be found free from objectionable shives, and the seed-boll tips are entirely removed, which is an advantage not obtained by the old processes.

In the drawings, tional view of the solvent treating and drying device, Fig.y 2 being a sectional vview of the front or receiving end of the same. Fig.3 is a vertical sectional view of the steam-bath and cold-air drying-chambers- I n the drawings A represents the receivingtable, upon which the bundles of straw are' laid; B, the solvent-tank, which is supplied with heat tothe desired degree by any wellknown means and provided withpivoted re'- volvingr'akeearms C, that control and'inove quickly through the rinsing-water into'the rapidly-rotated perforated draining-receptacle G', provided with a receiving-door g, and

his I do by passing the straw onward by I find by experience of Figure 1 is a vertical secl IIO in la few ,minutes Pthe. bundles are freed from. the surplus water. They are then deposited over the.,receiving-table H directly onto the -continuouslycarrying belt I lWithin i the grasp of its coperating carryir'ig-belt J,'and

Ithe strawy is thus conveyed through the heated airdrying chamber and 'thence through a moderately temperate' air-chamber ,Lf and'into'the cold-air chamber L", 'I

from'which the straw is deposited on .the in-4 termediate'table "M, and the shorter coarser y' V straw is ready for the brake or storage, While v the longer iner straw, requiring further-treat menttoisoft enthe epidermis, Which may have been :hardened or soliditied in the drying treatment after rettin'g, is passed, by means pf continuously-moving -Carrierbelts N and X',

through fthe adjoining' vapor chamber L, which is lsupplied With light vapor-steam arisingfrom the Water-tank P, that is warmed by jthe" steamlpipe P.' v In passing through thsmoi'st. air the strayv is annealed or tempered, so las to render it less brittle and bring thev natural elements in the ber into a. bal# ance', which' constitutes the best "spinning qualities, enabling the fiber to be drawn and y shcutcher..y

lspunftoiiiner numbers, This condition preserved by passing the straw'therefrom immediately through the adjoining cold-airdrying-chamber L4, that removes the surplus mo1sture,"vvhen '-it` is ready for the brake and Having thus -described my invention, what lclaim, and desireto secure by Letters Patses Ennis-Hi', K M j' .1., The herein-described 'process for the treatment of hemp' or ilaX, or other be-f1 which consists-in first subjecting the unl brokenstalks to the action of a solvent, then removing the' greater part of said solvent from the stalks,l then drying said'stalks in a 'f series' of" chambers containing air at succes- .'si'vely-decreasing temperatures, and there- .1.atterbraking*thestalks.l

:'4--5 1 ment' of unbroken and unretted hemp and' .2. The hereinldescribed y'process for treatlaXor likeyiber plants Which consists in first subjecting theunbroken stalksto the action ofa solvent, .then removing the ygreater part of saidsolvent by passingthest alks unbrokenl into the rinsing-t ank D and thence delivering said stalks into a draining-recepta'cleyand *thereafterV drying the stalks by exposing .them toair at successively-(leereasing temperatures, substantially as `torth and described..

3. The. herein described process for' the treatment of hemp an'd flax, or other fiber,

which consists in irst subjecting the un.

broken stalks to the action of a solvent, then removing the greaterpart` of .said solvent` from the stalks, then/drying said stalks in a series of Chambers containingair atysu'ccessivelyedecreasing temperatures, then"- subjecting saidistalks to the action of hot aqueousvapor, then to the action of a cold-.air

blast, and then braking' and scutchingsaidstalks. l f

The herein-described process of prepar- `ing unretted hemp and lax'lonlike .fiber vplants for decorticaticm consisting' in -sub- )ec-ting the unbroken stalks toa. continuous movement-,through a heated solvent lin an openutanle rinsing the stalks and thenremoving the'l moisture centrifugally, then drying said stalks Iin passage successively vthrough a1 series of chambers supplied with air of varying temperature. I

5.,1 The herein f described 'process for the treatment of hemp and flax lstraw consisting inpassing the unbroken stalks varranged-in a parallel condition transversely through a heated-solvent tank, thence into a rinsing `tank,-and 'into a .draining-receptacle, then `through a .series of drying-chambers, Isaid drying-chambers beingsupplied Withairof varied degrees of temperature.iregulatedto the requirement of the stalks, and .thereafter braking the stalks. l

- 6. The herein-described process of treating fibrous plantsxconsist-ing inl continuously moving a mass of parallel 'flax nr hemp stalks through a heated solvent, then removing the greater partfof the 'solvent-from lthe .stalks and drying said stalks in a series ofchambersv of varying temperatures then braking and.

scutching said ilax. y

7. The herein-described process of annealing and tempering degummedfibrous plants which consists in subjecting the same lirst to the action of a ueous vapor by continuously moving said sta ks through a steam-chamber to moisten and anneal said stalks, and .thereafter subjecting them to the action of a coldbl ast of air preparatory to braking and scutchmg. l -v 8. The process of tempering` 'and 4annealing degummed iibrous plants .preparatoryl to.

braking and scutchin-g, Which consists in sub jecting the same to a vapor-steam bath, and

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then to a cold-air draft/,Stoiabsorb the surplus moisture, whereby the `fiber is rendered sup- 

